Weekly Ocean News

WEEK EIGHT: 28 October-1 November 2013

For Your Information

Opportunity for Teachers: The National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Teacher at Sea 2014 Field Season program is now accepting applications until the end of business on 18 November 2013. Gain your "sea legs" and first-hand experience in one-week to one-month voyages. For more information, or to apply, see http://teacheratsea.noaa.gov
Marine and tropical weather statements -- This week's Supplemental Information...In Greater Depth provides identifies those National Weather Service Forecast Centers that monitor the weather, prepare weather forecasts, and issue event-specific warnings or advisories for marine and coastal interests. The terminology used to identify the particular warnings, watches and advisories for marine interests and for tropical weather events is also discussed.

Ocean in the News:

Eye on the tropics --- Several named tropical cyclones developed across the ocean basins of the Northern Hemisphere during the last week, with most of the activity in the western North Pacific:

In the central North Atlantic basin, Tropical Storm Lorenzo formed at the start of last week as the twelfth named tropical cyclones of the 2013 Atlantic hurricane season from a tropical depression. Lorenzo strengthened during the first half of the week as it traveled toward the east-northeast well away from any land masses. By the later part of the week Lorenzo weakened to a tropical depression and then a remnant low that merged with a midlatitude cold front. For more information and satellite imagery on Tropical Storm Lorenzo, consult the NASA Hurricane Page.
In the eastern North Pacific basin, Tropical Storm Raymond strengthened to become the eighth hurricane of the 2013 eastern Pacific hurricane season at the start of last week as it traveled north toward the coast of west central Mexico. Early last Monday morning Hurricane Raymond had intensified to become a category 3 hurricane (on the Saffir-Simpson Scale) as maximum sustained surface winds reached 125 mph, marking the first time this year that a major hurricane (category 3 or higher) had formed in the Western Hemisphere. After stalling off the Mexican coast, Raymond moved toward the west-southwest and then west during the week, with weakening that resulted in it being downgraded to a tropical storm status by midweek. Traveling well to the west, Tropical Storm Raymond began to curve toward the northwest over this past weekend. By early Sunday morning Raymond had intensified and was upgraded to hurricane status by early Sunday morning. Current forecasts indicate that Hurricane Raymond would continue taking a curved track toward the north and then to the north-northeast during the upcoming week. Some intensification could occur early Monday. The NASA Hurricane Page has additional information and satellite imagery on Hurricane Raymond.
In the western North Pacific basin, two major typhoons reached category 5 status on the Saffir-Simpson Scale. Since these typhoons had maximum sustained surface winds that exceeded 150 mph, they were also classified as super typhoons.
Super Typhoon Francisco traveled to the northwest across northeastern sections of the Philippine Sea at the beginning of last week (local time). However, Francisco began weakening as it continued to head toward Okinawa and the southern Japanese islands. By late in the week Francisco was downgraded to a tropical storm as it curved to the north and then northeast, passing to the southeast of the main islands of Japan. Francisco lost its tropical characteristics over this past weekend and became an extratropical cyclone or midlatitude storm. Consult the NASA Hurricane Page for additional information and satellite images on Super Typhoon Francisco.
The other super typhoon that traveled across the western North Pacific during the last week was Super Typhoon Lekima, which formed over the previous weekend from a tropical depression east of Saipan in the Northern Marianna Islands. By midweek, Lekima intensified to a category 5 typhoon as maximum sustained surface winds reached 160 mph as it traveled to the west-northwest. By late in the week, Super Typhoon Lekima curved to the north and then to the northeast, passing well to the south of the main Japanese islands. Over this past weekend (local time) Lekima had weakened to a tropical storm. Satellite images and additional information on Super Typhoon Lekima can be found on the NASA Hurricane Page.

Eastern Steller sea lion removed from the Endangered Species Act list -- Based upon public input and scientific review, NOAA Fisheries decided to remove the eastern distinct population segment of Steller sea lions from the list of threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. However, this population will remain be protected under provisions of the Marine Mammal Protection Act. The eastern segment includes Steller sea lions from Cape Suckling, Alaska, south to California's Channel Islands. [NOAA Fisheries News]
Traditional paper nautical charts are no longer offered by NOAA -- Stimulated in part by the more widespread use of up-to-date "Print-on-Demand" nautical charts by many mariners and other interested parties, NOAA's Office of Coast Survey announced that beginning in mid-April 2014 the federal government would no longer be printing the traditional lithographic (paper) nautical charts of US coastal waters as they have done since 1862. However, NOAA will continue to create and maintain other forms of nautical charts, including the increasingly popular "Print on Demand (POD)" charts that can be obtained from commercial vendors along with electronic charting systems such as the NOAA electronic navigational charts (NOAA ENC®) and raster navigational charts (NOAA RNC®) that are available by download. [NOAA News]
Funding announced for numerous marine habitat restoration projects across the nation -- Early last week, NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries) announced funding was made available to groups across the nation for habitat restoration projects:

In the Southeast, $8 million was made available to at least nine projects in Louisiana, Florida, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and Alabama to restore threatened coral populations and marshes and to remove marine debris. [NOAA Fisheries News]
In the Northeast, $6 million was provided to seven projects in Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland and Virginia to restore habitat and open stream for fish passage that would benefit species like river herring and the tuna, bluefish, cod, birds and marine mammals that prey on them. [NOAA Fisheries News]
In the Great Lakes States, $15.8 million was provided to seven projects in Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin to restore marsh and wetland habitat as well as to open more streams for fish passage that would benefit more than 40 species of fish. [NOAA Fisheries News]
In the West, $1.97 million was given to eight projects in California and Hawaii i to restore habitat and open streams for fish passage that would benefit species like threatened populations of steelhead trout, Chinook and coho salmon. [NOAA Fisheries News]

Assessing the damage from Hurricane Sandy one year later -- As the first anniversary of the landfall of Hurricane Sandy approaches, The Economist news magazine conducted an investigation of recovery efforts that have been made along the coasts of New Jersey and New York State that were devastated by Sandy. They found that the recovery has been remarkable, but damage still persists. [The Economist]
New mammoth undersea project raises questions about its price -- A massive $1.8-billion undersea project called US Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI) is about to commence off the Washington and Oregon coasts that is aimed to stream massive quantities of environmental data to ocean scientists from select underwater sites. However, some scientists question whether the system is worth the high price. [Nature News]
Review of September 2013 global temperatures -- Preliminary data analyzed by scientists at NOAA's National Climatic Data Center indicated that the combined global land and ocean surface temperature for September 2013 was 1.15 Fahrenheit degrees above the 20th century (1901-2000) average, which tied the temperature for September 2003 as the fourth highest for any month of September since sufficiently detailed global climate records began in 1880. The scientists noted that September 2013 marked the fifth consecutive month (since May ) with monthly-average global temperatures ranking among the six highest for their respective months. When considered separately, the temperature over the oceans was the fourth highest for any September since 1880, while the average land temperature was the sixth highest for any September. Sea-surface temperatures across the eastern half of the equatorial Pacific Ocean were slightly below average in September due to ENSO-neutral conditions (ENSO = El Niño/Southern Oscillation), continuing the trend for the seventeenth consecutive month. The researchers at the National Snow and Ice Data Center noted the areal extent of the Arctic sea ice for September 2013 was the sixth smallest since satellite surveillance began in 1979. On the other hand, the extent of the Antarctic sea ice was the largest in the 35-year record. [NOAA/NCDC State of the Climate] A global map of Selected Significant Climate Anomalies and Events for September 2013 is available from NCDC.
Nutrient enrichment and climate change linked to increasing toxicity of algal blooms -- Researchers from Oregon State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill claim that nutrient enrichment and climate change are contributing to an apparent increase in the toxicity of some algal blooms in freshwater lakes and estuaries around the world. This increased algal bloom toxicity threatens aquatic organisms, ecosystem health and human drinking water safety. [Oregon State University News]
An All-Hazards Monitor -- This Web portal provides the user information from NOAA on current environmental events that may pose as hazards such as tropical weather, drought, floods, marine weather, tsunamis, rip currents, Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) and coral bleaching. [NOAAWatch]
Earthweek -- Diary of the Planet [earthweek.com] Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Concept of the Week: Loss of Louisiana's Coast

According to the Louisiana Coastal Wetlands Conservation and Restoration Task Force, Louisiana has been losing its coastal wetlands (bayous, marshes, and swamps) to the waters of the Gulf of Mexico at an alarming rate of about 65 to 100 square km (25 to 38 square mi) per year for the past several decades. This loss adversely affects fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico and makes the coastal zone more vulnerable to storm surges such as that produced by Hurricane Katrina in August 2005. Since the early 1930s, the state's coastal wetlands have shrunk by an area equivalent to the state of Delaware. According to USGS estimates, an additional 1800 square km (700 square mi) could be lost by mid-century. The price tag for reversing this trend, restoring some marshes, and protecting the remaining 15,000 square km (5800 square mi) of wetlands could top $14 billion and take decades to complete. Many people argue that the value of Louisiana's coastal wetlands is well worth the expense.

As much as 75% of the fish and other marine life in the northern Gulf of Mexico depend on Louisiana's coastal wetlands. The wetlands are a nursery for commercially important catches of shrimp, crawfish, blue crab, and oysters. It is a food source for larger fish including yellow fin tuna, red snapper, and swordfish. In 2003, about three-quarters of the nation's fish and shellfish catch by weight came from Louisiana's waters. In addition, the wetlands are a stopover for millions of birds migrating between North and Central/South America. Furthermore, wetlands and associated barrier islands protect the ports, buildings, and other coastal zone structures from storm surges. Wetlands are particularly important in buffering the levees surrounding New Orleans, much of which is below sea level.

Many factors contribute to the loss of Louisiana's coastal wetlands. Thousands of kilometers of pipelines transporting oil and natural gas through the marshes plus the extensive network of navigation channels allow saltwater to intrude the wetlands. Increased salinity of the originally fresh or brackish waters kill wetland grasses, shrubs, and other vegetation that anchor soil in place. The canals also allow tidal currents to flow farther inland, accelerating erosion of wetland soils. The most important factor, however, is the consequence of flood control structures (levees) constructed along the banks of the Mississippi River. Levees constrict the flow of the river so that waters and suspended sediment discharge rapidly into the Gulf. Deprived of a continuous input of sediments and vegetation-supporting nutrients, existing sediments compact, wetlands subside and Gulf waters invade the wetlands. With the anticipated continued rise in sea level due to global climate change (discussed in Chapter 12 of your textbook), erosion of Louisiana's coastal wetland may accelerate in the future.

Plans to reverse the loss of Louisiana's coastal wetlands (the Coast 2005 plan and the Louisiana Coastal Area plan) seek to restore the structure and function of coastal wetlands. One proposal is to breach some levees along the lower Mississippi. This partial diversion of the Mississippi would increase the supply of sediments to the wetlands. Closing or installing locks on some navigation canals would reduce saltwater intrusion. In addition, dredged sediment would be used to re-build wetlands and restore barrier islands.

Concept of the Week: Questions

The most important factor contributing to erosion of Louisiana's coastal wetlands is [(saltwater intrusion)(levees along the banks of the Mississippi River)].
Global climate change that is accompanied by a rise in sea level is likely to [(accelerate)(have no effect on)] the rate of erosion of Louisiana's coastal wetlands.

Historical Events:

28 October 1991...Typhoon Thelma devastated the Philippines. Reports indicated that 6000 people died by catastrophic events related to the storm including dam failure, landslides, and extensive flash flooding. The greatest number of casualties occurred on Leyte Island where an 8-ft storm surge struck Ormoc, accounting for over 3000 fatalities. (The Weather Doctor)
29 October 1999...Tropical Cyclone 5B, with sustained winds of 155 mph, made landfall at Paradwip (Orissa, India). A storm surge of at least 20-ft height swept at least 12 mi inland. More than 10,000 people were killed. With 2 million homes either damaged or destroyed, 35 million people were left homeless. Damage from this tropical cyclone was $1.5 billion. (Accord Weather Guide Calendar)
30 October-1 November 1991...After absorbing Hurricane Grace on the 29^th, an intense ocean storm took an unusual course and moved westward along 40 degrees north latitude and battered eastern New England with high winds and tides. Winds had already been gusting over 50 mph along the coast 2 days before, so seas and tides were very high. Major coastal flooding and beach erosion occurred all along the New England, New York, and New Jersey coasts. Over 1000 homes were damaged or destroyed with tides 4 to 7 ft above normal. Wind gusts reached 78 mph at Chatham, MA and 74 mph at Gloucester, MA. A ship east of New England reported a 63-ft wave. Total damage from the storm was $200 million. On 1 November this ocean storm underwent a remarkable transformation. Convection developed and rapidly wound around the storm center and an eye became visible on satellite imagery. Air Force reconnaissance aircraft found a small but intense circulation with maximum winds of 75 mph. This evolution from a large extratropical low to a small hurricane is rare but not unprecedented. (Intellicast)
31 October 1874...A waterspout (a tornado-like vortex that travels over water) formed over Lake Erie and reached the lakeshore approximately 0.5 mi west of Buffalo, NY. Upon reaching the shore, it dissipated, scattering sand in all directions. (Accord Weather Guide Calendar)
31 October 1876...A 10 to 50 ft storm surge ahead of the Backergunge cyclone flooded the eastern Ganges Delta in India (now Bangladesh). Over 100,000 people drowned. (The Weather Doctor)
1 November 1521...Four ships in the fleet commanded by the explorer Ferdinand Magellan began sailing through the passage immediately south of mainland South America connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, now known as the Strait of Magellan. Because this passage began on All Saints Day, Magellan initially called the 373-mile long passage, the Estreito (Canal) de Todos los Santos , or "All Saints' Channel". (Wikipedia)
1 November 1755...Lisbon, Portugal was destroyed by a massive earthquake and tsunami, killing between 60,000 and 90,000 people. (Wikipedia)
1 November 1859...The current Cape Lookout, NC lighthouse was lit for the first time. Its first-order Fresnel lens can be seen for nineteen miles. (Wikipedia)
1 November 1861...A hurricane near Cape Hatteras, NC battered a Union fleet of ships attacking Carolina ports, and produced high tides and high winds in New York State and New England. (David Ludlum)
1 November 1884...Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) was nearly unanimously adopted at a meeting of 25 nations at the International Meridian Conference in Washington, DC. This time is also called Greenwich Meridian Time because it is measured from the Greenwich Meridian Line at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, England. At that time, the International Date Line was also drawn and 24 time zones created. (Today in Science History)
2 November 1493...Explorer Christopher Columbus first sighted the island of Dominica in the Caribbean Sea.
3 November 1975...The North Sea pipeline, Firth of Forth, was opened by Queen Elizabeth II. The first oil was piped ashore from the North Sea at Peterhead, Scotland in a pipe that ran from British Petroleum's "Forties Field" for 110 miles along the seabed and then 130 miles to the oil refinery at Grangemouth. The field was discovered by the drilling rig Sea Quest in October 1970. (Today in Science History)